Preview — Psychotherapy
by Tom Burns

Psychotherapy: A Very Short Introduction

Psychotherapy and counselling are now widely available to help people overcome emotional and psychological difficulties in their lives. They involve spending time with a professional in an emotionally safe and structured relationship to explore and express the issues that cause distress and difficulty, such as long term self-doubts, relationship problems, or the impact ofPsychotherapy and counselling are now widely available to help people overcome emotional and psychological difficulties in their lives. They involve spending time with a professional in an emotionally safe and structured relationship to explore and express the issues that cause distress and difficulty, such as long term self-doubts, relationship problems, or the impact of a trauma or crisis. As a society, we now take this focus on talking through and understanding our identity and relationships for granted, but it is hardly more than a century old. In this Very Short Introduction, Tom Burns and Eva Burns-Lundgren trace the development of psychotherapy from its origins in Freud's psychoanalysis to the range of different approaches - counselling, cognitive behaviour therapy, and other time-limited therapies, mindfulness, group and family therapies, and many more. Describing the processes central to them all and highlighting their differences, they demonstrate what problems each therapy are best suited for. They explain the principles behind the most commonly available types of psychotherapies and provide examples of what patients can expect when they seek such help. They conclude by examining the practice of psychotherapy - the types of training psychotherapists have, the safeguards that exist to keep practice reliable, and how one goes about choosing a psychotherapist....more

Community Reviews

The word “psychotherapy” conjures images of a patient on a burgundy recamier-style couch, a psychoanalyst in a matching stuffed armchair, neither one looking at the other as the analyst uses terse questions and monosyllabic acknowledgements to coax out the patient’s problems through interrogation about his or her childhood. While that approach, Freudian psychoanalysis, stubbornly maintains a following, there have blossomed many other varieties of therapy using talk as a tool to ease maladies ofThe word “psychotherapy” conjures images of a patient on a burgundy recamier-style couch, a psychoanalyst in a matching stuffed armchair, neither one looking at the other as the analyst uses terse questions and monosyllabic acknowledgements to coax out the patient’s problems through interrogation about his or her childhood. While that approach, Freudian psychoanalysis, stubbornly maintains a following, there have blossomed many other varieties of therapy using talk as a tool to ease maladies of the mind. This “Very Short Introduction,” put out by Oxford University Press as part of a large and diverse series with the same subtitle, presents an overview of the various approaches to psychotherapy and its less formal cousin, counselling.

The book consists of eight chapters, and begins with a preface. The preface covers various and sundry topics useful for the reader, but most importantly it takes a step back from psychotherapy to situate this therapeutic approach in a context of psychology and psychiatry, which are subjects often confused in the popular mindset.

Chapter one continues with the basics by defining psychotherapy and offering a thumbnail of the various approaches that will be expanded upon throughout the book. The second chapter pays homage to Freud and his psychoanalytic approach. The authors maintain a diplomatic approach to psychoanalysis though it has fallen on hard times for a number of reasons, both practical (e.g. it’s a huge drain on time, often involving five hours a week for months or even years) and theoretical (e.g. it places a great deal of emphasis on the past, whereas many currently popular approaches favor the present as the relevant time.)

Chapter three explores a number of post-Freudian psychotherapists including Jung, Adler, and Erik Erikson. Chapter four moves on to what is called “Time-Limited Therapy.” As suggested in the preceding paragraph, psychoanalysis placed huge demands on a patient’s [and therapist’s] time and could go on and on with no end in sight. Time-limited therapies focused more on finding a present-day solution for the current problem, and not so much ceaselessly trolling one’s distant past for traumas.

Chapter five is about counselling, which is very much related to psychotherapy in that it involves getting a person to talk out his or her problems. The difference is that it needn’t necessarily involve a therapist with extensive training, but rather someone briefed and / or sensitive enough to know how not to become sidetracked into dangerous territory. Chapter six discusses cognitive behavioral therapy, its principles, and its variations (such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy [MBCT], which combines elements of Buddhist mindfulness with the cognitive behavioral therapy approach to form a popular and successful therapeutic approach.) Cognitive behavioral therapy is rooted in the premise that distorted thoughts cause emotional and behavioral problems, and that one must address the thought to change the outcome. It also famously requires “homework” to be done between sessions rather than the work being contained within sessions.

Chapter seven moves away from the one-on-one therapy discussed so far, and investigates the various ways in which therapy can be carried out in groups. Groups can be beneficial because they allow the patient to see that they aren’t unique in their woes, which people often believe themselves to be. Family therapy is also discussed as it all allows family members to chip away at their problems as a familial unit. Also, there are numerous interactive forms of therapy in which patients might use various art forms to work out their problems.

The last chapter looks at where psychotherapy stands, and where it appears to be going. One of the important considerations discussed is the influence the advance of neuroscience is having on therapy. For few decades since the famous decade of the brain (i.e. the 90’s,) neuroscience has dominated the discussion of the realm of the mind. There has been less-and-less thinking in psychological terms and more and more in physiological terms. However, there still seems to be a widespread belief that solutions need to combine a recognition of both areas.

Like other books in the series, this one employs a variety of graphics (cartoon, photographic, and diagrammatic), and it also presents brief references and further reading sections to help the reader continue his or her study through other works.

This book offers a solid overview of the various approaches to psychotherapy. I would recommend it for neophytes who need to start with a concise outline of the field....more

This covers the material well. It is a very short introduction to the field as the title of the series indicates. Muh of the material in this work I already knew. The book functions well as an overview of the field. It would be particular useful for anyone contemplating psychotherapy or for anyone with a slight interest but who does not want to explore the matter further. However, I did not really see any great insight or perspective into the field. It is a competent short introduction but not mThis covers the material well. It is a very short introduction to the field as the title of the series indicates. Muh of the material in this work I already knew. The book functions well as an overview of the field. It would be particular useful for anyone contemplating psychotherapy or for anyone with a slight interest but who does not want to explore the matter further. However, I did not really see any great insight or perspective into the field. It is a competent short introduction but not much more than that and it lacks really any critical insight into the merits of psychotherapy or the deeper ways in which it functions....more

Awesome book. Must read for any novice interested in psychotherapy, no matter the sub discipline. Gives a great breakdown starting with psychoanalysis, and going to time-limited therapies, cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and counseling. Also exploring some interactive therapies like using music or drama. An unbiased look how to best approach and deal with psychological suffering, using any tool that might be beneficial. Fantastic work from the authors for such a brilliant and efficient boAwesome book. Must read for any novice interested in psychotherapy, no matter the sub discipline. Gives a great breakdown starting with psychoanalysis, and going to time-limited therapies, cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and counseling. Also exploring some interactive therapies like using music or drama. An unbiased look how to best approach and deal with psychological suffering, using any tool that might be beneficial. Fantastic work from the authors for such a brilliant and efficient book despite its very limited size....more

The Very Short Introduction series is a marvel. Short enough to be read easily in an afternoon and written in breezy vernacular language, they still manage to maintain a good amount of academic rigour. I knew the quality of the entries in my own discipline was very high (all students should be encouraged to read them whilst in school or before starting university). This was my first attempt to use one to learn about something of which I had almost no prior knowledge. The authors of this volume dThe Very Short Introduction series is a marvel. Short enough to be read easily in an afternoon and written in breezy vernacular language, they still manage to maintain a good amount of academic rigour. I knew the quality of the entries in my own discipline was very high (all students should be encouraged to read them whilst in school or before starting university). This was my first attempt to use one to learn about something of which I had almost no prior knowledge. The authors of this volume do a very good job of steering neophytes like me through the basics.

I personally would have liked less information on CBT and family and group therapy and more on classical analysis, particularly by people other than Freud and Jung. They say enough about Adlerian individual psychology and about the work of Erik Erikson to make me want to learn more, which I suppose is the point. The only thing they say about Lacan is that his work is very difficult to understand, which I already knew!

There are definite slips in some areas outside of the book's main focus. The description of the Enlightenment as a triumph of logic and reason over religious dogma is particularly painful for any historian.

This book accomplishes its purpose of indicating to its readers areas where they will want to learn more. ...more